Property tax rates in Oregon's 36 counties, ranked

Comparing tax bills in Oregon is in many ways an exercise in futility. Thanks to the state's unusual system, the property tax bill is only loosely tied to its value. (See the video above for details.)

Nonetheless, the average tax rate can speak to the relative cost of government services in each county. We ranked Oregon’s 36 counties from highest effective average tax rate to lowest. using numbers provided by the Oregon Department of Revenue.

We included only residential property to determine the tax burden homeowners bear across the state. It does not take into account varying property values.

These rates might not reflect what a given homeowner pays in these counties. Actual property tax bills are calculated using a property’s assessed value, and they depend on the boundaries of numerous taxing jurisdictions.

-- Elliot Njus

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Elliot Njus | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Highest: Wheeler County

Effective average tax rate: $13.03 per $1,000 of real market value for residential homes and land.

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Elliot Njus | The Oregonian/OregonLive

No. 2: Linn County

Effective average tax rate: $13 per $1,000 of real market value for residential homes and land.

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Elliot Njus | The Oregonian/OregonLive

No. 3: Polk County

Effective average tax rate: $12.84 per $1,000 of real market value for residential homes and land.

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Elliot Njus | The Oregonian/OregonLive

No. 4: Benton County

Effective average tax rate: $12.71 per $1,000 of real market value for residential homes and land.